Never in His Wildest Dreams
by ghosteye99
Summary: Set a few months Post-"Endgame". Harry Kim finally gets something he'd been hoping for a long time. He's not the only one who does …


**Title: Never In His Wildest Dreams**

**Author: ghosteye99**

**Main Characters: **Harry Kim, Kathryn Janeway (Friendship/professional), other background romantic pairings that I won't spoil you on.

**Word Count: **1,500 approximately.

**Rating: **PG (K + on )

**Summary: **Set a few months Post-"Endgame". Harry Kim finally gets something he'd been hoping for a long time. He's not the only one who does …

**A/N: **This was written in reply to 'a challenge to stir up the Muses' by Ronda on VAMB. (The challenge: "_The story can be any pairing, any rating, any type. It must start with: 'In _'s wildest dreams he/she had never imagined that it would be like this.' You fill in the blank with whatever name you choose_.")** Sandzombie **wrote a brilliant sequel to this("Never in her wildest dreams"), which you should check out right after reading this one.

**Disclaimer: **Characters and setting belong to Paramount Pictures, not me. No profit or harm intended. This is a fanfiction, not Canon.

**Never In His Wildest Dreams**

In Harry Kim's wildest dreams he had never imagined that it would be like this.

_Ok_, he tried to tell himself, _it's just a piece of metal_. But even as he did so, he knew he was kidding himself. That little piece of metal might as well have been forged out of the very essence of all the most precious things he could think of. She let him have a quick look at it first – saying "You've more than earned this, Harry," before she stepped forward, and fixed it onto his collar, and then fussed over it for a few seconds to get everything just right. There was something about that attentiveness which reminded Harry of his mother, but he didn't mind. He'd come to realise that he had, to her, been like a son she'd never had – and with this promotion, that part of her was letting go of the young Ensign she'd known him as for so long.

Finally satisfied with her work, she stepped back to take it all in. The pride in her eyes was plain to see; she even blinked a couple of times, and Harry wondered if she was about to tear up … but her composure quickly snapped back again to all-Starfleet.

"So, Lieutenant, how does it feel?" she asked him.

"It feels great!" he said, beaming. It had finally happened … he was finally promoted. The sheer joy and relief of it made him almost giddy.

"I thought you'd appreciate something a bit more dignified than a roasting," the Captain said … except that she wasn't the Captain anymore, but an _Admiral_; no, a _Vice_ Admiral – which wasn't quite a full Admiral, but still higher than a Rear Admiral. Still, it meant she probably wouldn't be spending a lot of time in space now, and he wondered if she would get used to that.

"Thank you … _Admiral_." He managed to say.

"Oh,_ I_ should be thanking you, _Lieutenant_ Kim," she replied, "for being one of my most hard working and reliable crewmembers. Your exemplary service has been one of the highlights of the journey to me, and if I could have had my way, I'd have had you fast-tracked through to Lieutenant Commander."

"Uh … Lieutenant Commander? _Really?_"

"_Really_," Admiral Janeway replied, firmly. "I don't think this one piece of brass is an adequate reward for what you've done and gone through for all of us. Be assured that I'm going to try to see to it that your path through Starfleet's ranks proceeds at a healthier rate from now on."

"Thanks!" Harry said, "Admiral? Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she said.

"Do you mind if it's a bit … personal?"

She cocked an eyebrow, and Harry saw her expression slip subtly back into the bland mask of command. "Not at all," she replied – calmly. "I trust you've gained a good enough grasp of appropriate conduct by now."

"It's just … that …" he hesitated, and that guarded look he knew well crept over her. He tried again. "It's just that … Capt … I mean, _Admiral_, I was wondering if _you're_ ok with being made just a Vice Admiral, after all that _you've_ done in the last seven years …."

Janeway's eyes softened again; back to the warmth she shown when she'd given him his Lieutenant's pip. "Going straight from Captain even to Vice Admiral is quite rare in Starfleet, Lieutenant Kim," she said, with a cheerful wave of her hand. "I think they just want to give me some time to learn the new ropes before they let me go further up, and personally I quite agree with that."

"Though, if I may say this, Admiral …" Harry said, "… I think you're going to miss the stars."

"The stars can wait for a while, Harry." She replied. "There's a few matters a bit closer to home that I want to get in order, before I go back out to them …" She looked thoughtfully past him for a moment, her gaze focused on the bright San Franciscan late summer skies. It had been nearly seven months since they'd come home, and a lot had happened in that short time. Wedding engagements … promotions, a few breakups - and it seemed that half his _Voyager_ colleagues were either on the way to becoming fathers or mothers again, or doing so for the first time …

… On the subject of engagements, there were even certain rumours about Capt… _Admiral_ Janeway herself. The slim, gold ring he kept glimpsing on her hand didn't do much to quell that. He had a good view of it now, as she stood, that hand on her hip as if she were back on _Voyager's_ bridge. He could just see something sparkling along its otherwise smooth surface; something that looked like they could be those fine, embedded diamonds that were popular now. Harry liked the design, he'd seen them in jeweller's catalogues, you could have them custom-made to the constellation or star system of your choice … he was going to have one made for his proposal to Libby, until _she_ …

"But I will get out there again, when I am free enough."Janeway continued, breaking Harry's reverie. "That, I can promise you. I still have a lot of my life left, and I am not one for staying earthbound any more than I'll have to. There are things I've always wanted to do, that I can't put off any longer now that I'm once again free to do so," she said – sounding a little wistful. She turned, and gave Harry a meaningful look.

"There's more to your life than just Starfleet, Harry." She added. "I hope that you'll always remember that."

"I will …" He replied, knowing what she meant - and forcing a smile. He hadn't yet told her about what happened between him and Libby, and right now he wasn't about to spoil the mood by doing so. "… You can count on it!"

… _So, who's the lucky guy?_ Harry thought, as his eyes dropped again to her hand. This time, Janeway caught him out.

"Oh, _this?_" she said, holding it up teasingly, the ring-finger crooked up over its neighbours, so he could better see the prize it wore. "It was made to match a star system we once spent a bit of time in some time back." She explained, "Around Stardate 49690, if I remember."

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "May I ask, Admiral?" he said.

"You'll find out soon enough," Janeway replied, cryptically. "But enough banter for now, you're also here to receive your first orders as a Lieutenant."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Harry said, standing to attention.

"Relax, Harry Kim, before you sprain something," she said. "Your orders are to take a further three months leave, and then report back to me after that. There's a deep space exploration mission that's currently in the last planning stage, and there'll be a post waiting for you on its ship when you get back. I've sent the details through to you, so you can have time to get ready for it – and you'll find there's an invitation in your message bank as well."

He gave her a quizzical look.

"You are requested to attend," was all she gave him. "And you're dismissed, Lieutenant." She added - but though her tone was Starfleet-crisp, she still kept that mysterious smile as she spoke.

"Thank you, _Ma'am_." He replied, and then turned and left her office.

_So, who is the lucky man?_ He thought, now burning up with curiosity … and he almost collided with Command… no, _Captain_ Chakotay in the corridor. It seemed that both of them hadn't been paying proper attention to where they were going – Chakotay was looking more than a little distracted. In fact, he had one of the biggest, silliest smiles Harry had ever seen on the big guy's face. Seriously, the way he looked now, one could easily lose a shuttlecraft in those dimples of his …

"Sorry, sir," he said, apologetically.

"That's okay, Lieutenant," Chakotay replied, straightening up. "As you were, Harry!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Chakotay just resumed that goofy grin, and went on his way. Just before he got to the turbolift, _something_ made Harry look over his shoulder – just in time to get a glimpse of Admiral Janeway pulling him into her office … and unless he was seeing things, those two were going to kiss.

… So it looked like Tom's guess about that rumour _was_ right, after all.

As he stepped into the turbolift, Harry suddenly felt the need to adjust his collar – but then, his fingers brushed the _two_ pips that were now there, and he smiled. He had a pretty good idea now as to _who_ that lucky man was … unlike _some_. But any self-pity over his own situation was quickly quashed when he also realised what that ring and that kiss also meant. Seven was free. Perhaps he should give her a call sometime … seeing that he now was free as well.

-o0o-

AN – Stardate 49690 = the Episode "Resolutions".


End file.
